TOYOTA Yaris road test reports and car reviews

Toyota Yaris 2008

I wish I had read these reports before I bought my Yaris, it has been a total mess from the day I bought it. Everything I have read I can relate to and now they are recalling so many cars because of the accelerator sticking makes me wonder what else could go wrong. I should have stuck with my reliable Clio, never had any issues with it apart from wear and tear. People need a reality check, Toyotas are no longer what they used to be. Do not buy a Toyota Yaris if you want a car that is good to drive and own.

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

I could not disagree more with Alex E of Oxfordshire about the Toyota Yaris. Having owned a few Toyotas in the past and been very pleased with them, driving about 200K a year I have never been so disgusted by any other make of car since having the Yaris...and I have driven just about every make and model there is. What has happened to the quality of build and materials? The brakes and clutch are terrible, it is near impossible to make a smooth gear change in the lowest gears and the brakes are dangerously snatchy and what is that roaring noise? It sounds like the pads are covered in rust. Why can I hear the gear linkage clonking? I have a Yaris 1.3 which is 2 years old and it is full of rattles, the engine is weak and makes odd noises especially when cold. The ride is wobbly and the car seems to bounce over the slightest uneven surfaces. The boot and rear seats may be adjustable but the rear shelf kind of just sits there, there is no proper fixing. The internal plastics seem to scuff very easily. The pedals all seem far too high, on long journeys I find my ankles ache as I am having to hold my feet up. There is nothing nice about this car unless you are deaf, dumb and blind. I am glad that reading other posts, I am not the only person who thinks the Yaris is a complete LEMON. The quicker I get rid of it the better. If anyone things the Toyota Yaris is a good car, THINK AGAIN!

Toyota Yaris TR 2007

This is a fab ’little’ car and ours has been far more reliable than my Boxster S. While the Yaris is my wife’s car it is the one I choose for popping to the shops for both ease of parking and load carrying capacity. In September we took a trip to the Lakes and our TR (1.3) coped well with four adults and our rather large Tibetan mastiff when driving up and down the back roads between lakes. We’ve been amazed at the load carrying capacity as the back seats can be independently slid forward or folded flat as needed. The boot floor can also be lowered to give a deeper boot for carrying plants or my tuba for band practice. In terms of performance, this is not my Porsche but it has enough oomph for the daily commute and with the optional lowered / stiffened suspension it can be a laugh around the Oxfordshire country roads. Niggles? 30,000 miles in and we’ve changed the front tires twice but we do drive this car. Other than that, this a pretty great car. In fact, we bought one of the older models (second hand) for my cousin I’ve just ordered a new one for my mum. The Yaris beats the Fiestas (1.3 & 1.25 Zetec) we’ve had hands down.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I forgot to mention a few other things that I dislike about the car. Cold air is always blowing on my feet when it’s cold outside, I have tried everything to make it stop but it won’t. Dealer says this is normal and I should turn the heater at the feet vent on a higher setting. What I get now is hot air from the vent at feet level while cold air blows in from somewhere else also down at foot level but it’s not coming from the vent. The start stop feature is an absolute joke as so far in my driving experience, it has only worked for about twenty percent of the total driving time. The manual says that in cold weather the battery needs more energy and thus the start stop will only work sometimes. I live in Germany so I don’t know if my post will be allowed and I pressed a county lising at random as this was the only way my post could be entered, I am sorry about that.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 2009

I will give you an honest word on this little car. Purchased it about three months ago, and I have mixed feelings. I have a problem with a leaky front window, the gears are fine, however, sometimes reverse has difficulty getting in and second gear too. The clutch has to be pressed to the floor to get a smooth gear change in either reverse or second gear and even then it sometimes decides not to go in without several tries. Dealer, as usual, said everything normal except for leaky glass. The car drives nicely, has excellent handling, I always feel in control and slippery roads were a pleasant surprise. Car has excellent power up to 120 kmh, however, power fades badly after that. I don’t know about the hundred plus horsepower, I have driven cars with less rated power that were much stronger at higher speeds. I have been driving Toyota’s for almost twenty years and have loved them all, except for this one. I gave her a three star rating, but it could have just as easily been two stars.

Toyota Yaris gls 1.3 2000

I got my Yaris Gls from new, I have done 95000 miles and it has never let me down. It’s never had a spanner on the engine apart from services, a fantastic car. If anybody wants to sell me a 2008/2009 drop me a line at dholdham@msn.com

Toyota Yaris Zinc 2007

Bought a Yaris Zinc in 2007 with mmt. Having trouble with gear changes, like various other people. The main problems are the gear change goes up on hills and roundabouts and when it changes gear in auto mode it clonks at the back like the old cars with a back axle. Due for a change think, I will have to try other manufacturers very, very, dissapointed.

Toyota Yaris 2002

My sister has a Yaris. She had some rattling at the front of the car so she took it to two garages. One said it was the gearbox and the other said it was the clutch with the cost to repair between £400-500. This is a lot of money for a budget car that people buy for economy and cheap motoring, she has two children and a house to keep she needs her car for work. Toyota should recall these cars and fix them for free as its obviously a manufacturing fault

Toyota Yaris 2009

As a driving instructor I have used various makes/models. In August I thought I would go for a Yaris, what a mistake. I was already noticing excessive oil use. At 4000 miles. On a lesson the engine partly disintegrated, bits of sheared off engine parts in the road!!! Apparently on all recent Yaris’s there is a problem with the turbo which causes oil to be sucked from the engine into the turbo/inlets. So out of the the last month it has spent 3 weeks on a garage ramp with courtesy cars provided by the Driving Instructor Centre. Compensation; by going to the very top, I contacted Mr Adashi, CEO Toyota Europe, my agreed compensation so far stands at £900!!

Responses to this review

Very strange, I too am an A.D.I. and while on a lesson yesterday the engine revved wildly and disintegrated leaving the con rod and peices of the engine block all over the road. Similair miles too, just short of the first service at 9,000miles Thought it was something to do with the recall on the accellarator pedal that has just been announced but this seems tooo coincidental. What path did you take for compensation? Main dealer or direct to C.E.O.? - Tony Kelsey from Durham

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 3DR 2009

I still like the car overall, as I reported below, but having tried to get used to the gearbox I find it’s clunky, not smooth finding the gears and is often very, very reluctant to go into second shifting down. Looking for postings on this I find I’m not alone and I also have the reported "burning smell" occasionally in normal driving. I thought the clutch might be slippng once or twice, but put that down to my being "off" in handling a new car, now I’m not at all so sure it’s me. It’s just not got the transmision my 16 year old Corolla had. Seeing the dealer tomorrow; let’s see how this goes.

Responses to this review

Nothing more to add to this review but that I have exactly the same problem. I drive a Yaris 1.33 dual vvt-i SOL since August 2009. I can not get used to the gearbox at all. I’ve been driving a previous model of Yaris (2003) and it was an excellent car then - Robert Zizman from Croatia (Hrvatska)

Toyota Yaris 2008

I have been a driving instructor for the past 25 years and as such my clutch work is very good, therefore my clutches last a long time. However, since purchasing my Yaris I have had the clutch burn out at only 27,000 miles. The new clutch then began to emit a burning smell after 3 days so I took it back to the garage for an inspection, only to be told that the smell was merely the smell of the old burnt out clutch lingering and that it would eventually go away. Now, just 2 weeks since the new clutch was fitted I can once again smell burning and the car has had to go back into the garage again, which is obviously seriously disrupting my work. I had been recommending the Yaris to pupils and anyone else I spoke to who was already considering buying one, however, I am now completely put off the car. Even Nissans have better performance in their clutches! Has anyone else had a problem with their clutch? I have been reading a lot of reviews complaining about the Yaris’ gear-box, which I think could be related to the clutch.

Responses to this review

You only need to read through all the reviews to get the picture regarding gearbox/clutch issues. I have rejected my car and am waiting for Toyota to respond, after a year trying to get used to it and umpteen trips and weeks in the garage. Simply the worst car I have ever owned or driven. I am totally at a loss to see how it was possible for the Yaris to get a good reputation and I don't understand the people on this forum who praise it. The only thing is hasn't actually done is break down but neither did my 9 year old Clio 1.6 16v in the 9 years I owned it and it was a joy to drive and did everything it should have, I can't say the same for the Yaris 1.3 - Peter from Bedfordshire

Almost 20/30% of new manual 6 speed Yaris' have gearbox troubles. Toyota knows this perfectly but doesn't lift a finger to repair this drama-comic situation. If Toyota is still, even if I doubt, a serious car brand factory they should recall & repair for free all gearbox troubled cars; however, I think this will remain a dream. Right now Toyota is one of the less reliable car brands in Europe. I had a test drive with the new Mito (Alfa) & it is another Galaxy - Davide from Northern Ireland

We must be in the lucky 70% as our new 1.33 manual 6-speed Yaris has no gearbox quirks at all. Easy when oil is cold (all this week!) and smooth into every gear. In fact a much smoother gear change than my Audi (but that's another story). I do find the clutch biting point a little difficult to feel compared to a faithful old Mazda, ie it's easy to stall(so is the Audi). Overall we are very pleased indeed with the way it drives, hope the Toyota reliability reputation was translaled into French for the people who built the car. I had a new Renault once and vowed never never again to buy a French car - John Milnes from England

Having worked for Toyota for over 12 years and seeing learner car Yaris’s doing well over 100k on 1 clutch they don’t have a clutch wear problem and the fact your new clutch is smelling of burning (which is overheating) so soon I would suggest you get your dual controls checked for dragging your clutch pedal or slightly holding the brake pedal on? - Peter from Lancashire

Toyota Yaris MMT 2008

Great car! I love the MMT! I have read a lot of bad reports about MMT function but really can not fault it!

Toyota Yaris 2009

One of the best cars that I have ever driven.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 2009

For me the Toyota Yaris is a great car without problems. My parents bought one after test driving. They are a bit older and love the seats for their backs. They owned a Hyundai Elentra. My friend trashed his Fiat and also bought the Yaris. Previous car (15 years) was the Toyota Corolla: 320,000 km without any problems.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 Sol 6-gears 2009

One of the worst cars ever, it reminds me a typical chinese car, the build quality is really low, it is not comfortable at all, the steering is too light (very dangerous), the seat (driver side) is too close while the steering is too far so it’s impossible to find a decent (and definitive) driver position. When it rains it seems to have the water inside! The new engine 1.3 (100hp) is underpowered but it drinks like a Scotsman, on highway over 70/80mph seems to drive like a jumbo jet. It starts to squeak after 4/5000km, now seems a concern. Very poor and badly assembled plastics, the gears are a real nightmare, every time you shift it seems that the engaged gear is coming out, very heavy/hard gear and above all very noisy. The clutch is too high (I mean really too much), the brake system is good only at low speeds, at high speed you should cross your fingers hoping to never stress your "eco" (as economic) brakes. This is my first and will be the last Toyota.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

In response to Peter Walsh, I have just got my car back from the dealer after 2 weeks. I had rejected it but was advised by my legal team to give the dealer one more try. They say they have replaced some parts in the gearbox linkage and it does seem slightly better but still not what I call a good car to drive. The brakes are still dreadful, the clutch still judders but they tell me they are all the same even though the courtesy car I just had for 2 weeks was better to drive, though same engine and gearbox. I will be rejecting my car again. I cannot understand how people can like these cars. If I were you I would reject your car, if you have any of the mechanical problems mentioned on this forum, it seems that Toyota just cannot put the problems right.

Toyota Yaris T Spirit 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual 2009

Purchased a new Yaris 1.4 Diesel 6 Speed Manual in late August, the car has done less than 800 miles and the gearbox is giving trouble. When you change down from third gear to second, you can’t select second gear leaving you stranded as you are too slow for third gear and too fast for first. It’s been dangerous at times, especially when coming off a motorway or approaching a roundabout as you are left stranded without being able to select a gear. Car went back to the dealer at the start of this week, no courtesy car was offered, after a few hours told by the dealer they can’t find any fault. When asked if they had driven the car the dealer said ’no’. Left the car with the dealer for further investigation and stressed that they need to road test it to find the problem. After 3 days, still not heard back and called the dealer for an update. Dealer said they still can not find any fault so they are going to change the gear selector cables but by their own admission admitted that this will not solve the problem. Has anyone else had problems with the 6 speed manual gearbox in their 2 as trying to put a portfolio of incidents together to take to Toyota and the media to try and get this resolved. If the dealer can’t rectify this, then I’m going to reject the car and buy a Polo instead!

Responses to this review

Hi Peter, I am having exactly the same gearbox problems and am currently in the process of trying to get a new car out of the dealer as I think this is unsafe. - Alan Lord from Lancashire

Yes, only the main problem I’ve had is changing from 4th to 3rd. The dealer originally (at a few hundred miles) admitted there was some resistence in the gearbox and suggested I get back in touch around 4,000/5,000 if problem still persisted, which I did, only to be told that that was just the way the gearbox is and that if they take the car in and strip things down to find the problem - and there isn’t one - I’d be charged. He went on to say that Toyota would claim it’s "driver error" in changing gears. I did stress that I felt the situation to be dangerous (as someone esle has mentioned here) but that didn’t get a response. We agreed I’d call in when I could, to test drive another Yaris with a 6 speed gearbox to compare. I only managed this at 10,000 service and it felt like a completely different gearbox! So the dealership test drove mine and agreed there was a problem and replaced the gear selctor cable but as yet I’m to be convinced it’s helped. I’ve let them know this, and to be fair, we’ve agreed I’ll contact them again in the New Year if it’s clear the problem remains. There’s been no mention of a general problem with this gearbox, so I’m pleased to hear I’m not alone! - Kate from Pembrokeshire

Me too I’d some problems in the transition from 3rd to 2nd, but really it’s my fault. I think Yairs need more accurate sense with the speed when you change the gear box in a simple way, just try to reduce the speed to 20km/h then move to the 2nd gear box. When moving from 4th to 3rd you need to slow to 40km/h or less - Khaled Asem from Egypt

Toyota Yaris TR 2007

I traded my much loved Peugot 106 for the Yaris TR in June and although happy on most issues am seriously concerned about the indicator sytem on this version. On making a minor manoeuvre e.g. onto a slip road or a left from a roundabout, the indicator doesn’t automatically cancel so you have to cancel manually so after after every signal you have to check the indicator light. If you have noisy children in the car or listening to the radio, this is is one more task you could do without. This is potentally very dangerous as if you fail to cancel the indicator a vehicle coming out of a turn will think you are turning but you are not. This does not seem to have been a problem on earlier Yaris editions or on other models in the Toyota range. Toyota say it is the drivers responsibility to cancel indicators and they adhere to the legal requirements. Does anyone else have this problem? And yes the gear change esp for 3rd to 2nd is a nightmare!

Toyota Yaris Sol 1.33 manual gear (6) 2009

Decent car but with a nightmare gearbox. I just sent a couple of letters to Toyota and they answered back that they don’t know anything about the problem I reported & mine is just an isolated case, as I can read here it isn’t... Toyota has lost its good name for reliability.

Responses to this review

I bought the same model you drive in July 2009 and am very disappointed. I have the same problems with the gearbx. What a nightmare, I don’t know what to do ... Robert from Croatia

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Zinc 2007

I can’t believe some of the negative comments here. I have just completed 50,000 miles in 2 years - hard driving in London and on motorways. Usually full of equipment. It drives beautifully - the seat is the most comfy I have ever sat in, you can get enormous amounts in the rear with seats down, it will cruise all day at 80 (tho of course I don’t do that ) and on mixed driving returns 45mpg. I had 3 people, a drumkit, cello, keyboard and PA and you wouldn’t know it was loaded. Slight gripe with getting into reverse but that’s about it, oh and going up long hills fully laden it runs out of steam, but it is only a 1.3.

Responses to this review

I also cannot believe that you cannot believe all the negative comments you are reading here. I will not go into too many details but I took legal advice about my Yaris 1.3SR. It was bad in just about every respect the day I bought it 11 months ago. Toyota finance and Toyota are very aware of the case and are waiting to see what the dealer can do. The dealer has taken it away today for their last chance to put all the problems right otherwise I am rejecting it. However nothing short of a complete re-design will put some of the problems right. If I am not offered most of my money back, perhaps someone here would like to buy it from me because I am told all Yaris’s are like that, so if some people think they are a good car then the purchaser should be very happy. This is NOT a reliability issue, it is mainly a drivability issue that I have never had in any car in my 23 years of driving. Perhaps there are actually two Toyota makes, one VERY GOOD and one VERY BAD. After my experiences of 2 Toyotas in the past 16 months I would not want another Toyota if you gave me one. If anyone here disagrees with me, please reply to this and I am willing for you to come and test the car (if I still have it) - Pete from Bedfordshire

Toyota Yaris sol 2009

It ABSOLUTELY SUCKS AND I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!! What did toyota think it was doing with this idiotic mmt thing? Everytime I drive it I come out of it sick from those lurches and sick of its moaning and whining noises!

Responses to this review

I received my first brand new car 1st September. I HATE IT. I have bought the Toyota Yaris 1.3 MMT model. I am unable to drive a manual as I have a bad left leg. I have always driven a manual up to now. I dread every time I drive the car. It makes my passengers feel car sick. It lurches all the time. It hates being in cues and low gear. I think it thinks its a kangaroo. I have been back to the garage. They checked it. Told me nothing wrong with it just the way I drive it. Then they told me its just how the Yaris is. We have asked for our money back but I don't think we will get it. I love driving but I dread driving at the moment - Tracy Brown from England

I feel exactly the same way. I got this car because I wanted something easy to park but that had an automatic gearbox. This is NOT an automatic. The only way to drive it without lurching is using the mmt feature. We bought it thinking it was just us getting used to the car, but 2 weeks on we’re still lurching from one gear to another. Very dangerous at roundabouts and junctions as you don’t know when the car is actually going to move!! I hate this car and have no idea what to do about it. We’re calling the garage tomorrow and hopefully they’ll have some sort of suggestion - Becks from Renfrewshire

Toyota Yaris 2009

I am having trouble with the gear box. Also, is anyone having problems with the front doors? When it rains, or when washing the car, water gets in to the door and when you open it you can see it pouring out of a drain hole...

Responses to this review

What did your dealer say about the gearbox problem? My dealer said it has not had anyone else with this problem - Mags Allsopp

Many thanks. The gear box is probably a bit stiff being new, sent letter to Toyota and am waiting for a reply. I also sent an email to the dealer and am waiting for a response about the water - Anthony Long from Northumberland

I have had my Yaris tr 1.3 for a couple of months. i took it back after a week as it was not going in to 4th gear properly every time. Toyota said there had been reports of this on some gears and said they had tweeked it. I'm still having probelems with 4th gear and will be taking it back again. My half an hour drive to work on a dual carriageway is only on average 37 mpg. One last thing, I have left my car in first gear then when I've gone to move off I have shot back in reverse and as you will know this can not be done accidently - Claire Atkinson from England

I bought a brand new Yaris earlier this year and had the same problem with one of the back doors. The garage put it right in the end. Anyone else had a problem with cracking side mirrors? I have only had the car since February but already had to replace two drivers side mirrors which have just cracked. Also had both mirrors stolen. So far spent couple of hundred quid on side mirrors over a period of a couple of months - Kathleen Morris from London

Toyota Yaris D4D T3 2009

I am a driving instructor and bought my 3rd Yaris diesel T3 end of April. From the start there was black smoke from the exhaust and it used all the engine oil in 3,000 miles - I had to fill it up every week. Dealer offered me an oil consumption test and said Toyota say 1ltr of oil per 1,000 miles is OK!!!! Not prepared to do a 20 mile round trip every week for this test when it was obvious that it was more serious, but they didn’t seem bothered about the smoke. Took it in again lasty week and insisted on a test drive. It broke down 2 mins later. Took 3 days and the engine out to find that the engine block, cranckshaft, piston and valve all knackered. New short motor being put in-takes another week. Very unhappy and angry with Toyota and dealer. I could insist on a new car but so much hassle I will have to accept the repair. But I will be getting rid of this car asap. Oh and I told them about the problem with 2nd gear too - same as an ADI friend with the same model.

Toyota Yaris T3 MMT 2007

This is the second Yaris that I have owned from new, so far it has done 23,000 trouble free miles. No problems with the mmt gearbox, and mpg excellent. A great little car, never had any problems at all with it, will definitely buy another next year. The dealership servicing and customer care is excellent.

Toyota Yaris 2007

I totally agree, the MMT gearbox is "all over the place". Changes gear, hates bad weather, or hills. Just had an upgrade, much better.

Toyota Yaris 2007

I have an 07 Zinc. I hate the multi mode gearbox which causes the car to be a very "jerky" ride. By far the worst car I have ever driven. I found out by chance about an update and have just had this done. Much better. I was informed that Toyota admit that this gearbox was a "mistake". Why was I not informed about this upgrade, and why are other Toyota users not informed?

Toyota Yaris 1.4 D4D 2007

I have had my Yaris from new and it has provided me with 2 years of trouble-free, cheap motoring. It does 50 mpg plus easily while urban driving, 65 mpg, at the least on a long run.

Toyota Yaris TR 2009

As I have never had the pleasure of purchasing a brand new car, I decided to use the scrappage scheme to get rid of my beloved peugoet 306 and buy a Yaris TR . What a mistake. I am truly disappointed. As already mentioned by quite a few people on this site, the gears are absolutely rubbish I am having a lot of trouble getting into 1st and 2nd gear, and worst is trying to go from 3rd to 2nd, what nightmare. I have been driving for nearly 20 years, and I now feel as if I have just passed my test. So instead of looking forward to driving my brand new car, it fills me with dread, as I have already stalled it on numerous occasions, and I am slowly losing my confidence. Will be taking it back to the dealer ASAP.

Responses to this review

I am having the same lurching every time I go up in gears. The garage said they tested the car on the computer and no problems were found. They are charging me £1400 plus VAT and £200 admin fees before they take the car back. On top of that they took my Vauxhall Omega and gave me a measly £1000 part exchange. The sales manager refused to put anything in writing, she often contradicts anything she says on the telephone. I feel they are trying to fob us off or break us down. Please give us your view - Cherryl Howard from Bedfordshire

I have a 2008 SR 1.3. The gear change was rubbish between 1st and 2nd, especially a rolling change down into first (junctions etc). After a couple of visits to Toyota dealer we discovered there was a known issue and a warranty fix (adding a weighted coupling to the gear linkage apparently). It is now fine. Suggest you ask your dealer to check the known issues - Brian from England

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 3DR 2009

I traded in a beloved 16-year-old Corolla 1.4 XLI under "scrappage." Important to me, the rear space with the seats down in the new Yaris is possibly greater than the old Corolla: not quite so long but deeper, as the seats fold more efficiently. Better mileage but more powerful, as gradient climbing on the A30 in Cornwall soon showed. Quiet engine, sharp steering. Lots of adjustment in the driving position, and not many cars suit my long back and relatively short limbs. My main whinge is getting used to the extra features including the extra gear, the A/C and the digital dash display. I don’t think I could have picked better for the price.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

I have been a driving instructor for 30 years and go through cars quite quickly. I have had many makes and the last year had a Yaris 1.3 original shape. It was ok though the gearbox was very clonky and car generally noisy. I traded it in the 2008 SR and I have to agree with the points made about the gearbox, clutch and brakes on the new Yaris, yes what a truly awful car in just about every aspect. I have had a few courtesy cars on the various visits to the helpful but incapable Toyota dealer and they were just as bad to varying degrees. Please trust me, I know the difference between a good car and a bad car when it comes to driving. The Corsa, Clio and Mini I have had were far superior to this very disappointing offering from what used to be a competent manufacturer. Will not be buying another Toyota for the foreseeable future. The Clio was the best car to drive and was very reliable contrary to popular myth. However, the dealers seem unhelpful at times. Mix Renault with Toyota and you may have a better result.

Toyota Yaris TR Diesel 2008

I purchased my Toyota Yaris TR Diesel in July 2008. Since then I have noticed that the front wheel tyres are wearing on one side as though the tracking is constantly at fault. However, the tracking has been checked and I was informed by the garage that this is a fault with the Yaris. As with all my previous cars I would expect at least 20000 miles from the tyres but in the light of this problem I doubt whether I will get 8000 miles from the tyres. This of course, needless to say, is totally unacceptable. I would be interested to hear if other Yaris owners have experienced similar problems.

Responses to this review

With regards to the tyres wearing on one side, I have had the same thing happen with my Yaris D4D 2007. It went in for the 2nd year service at 20k miles and the report showed 'inner edge 2.5 mm outer edge 1mm wear.' Not very impressed as the car has only covered 6200 miles, surely this must be wrong? I was told to keep an eye on the problem!? - John Westover from England

As a follow up to my previous comments; I took the car to a local tyre shop, where they checked the tracking (no charge) and informed me it was "well out." I am going to ring the main dealer on monday as I am not happy that, whilst the service was being carried out, they did nothing to check WHY the front tyres were wearing out - John Westover from England

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

This is my eleventh new Toyota having previously owned 6 Corolla’s, 1 Avensis, 2 Starlets and now 2 Yaris’s. I use these as fleet cars covering up to 35000 miles per year. All cars have been totally trouble free until sold at around 135000 miles. My 05 Yaris 1ltr blue was no exception have covered 57000 in 2.5 years - needed no recalls or repairs. The only annoyance was engaging reverse from a standstill. The 08 Yaris TR is even better faster, roomier and trouble free at the current 38000 miles. 46 to a gallon. 1 minor comment: the rear bumper plastic mounts have proved a bit flimsy as a car park knock has left bits of broken plastic on the tarmac. Buy another? Yes, for the job this is used for, for myself, no I prefer my BMW 330 Sport and Porsche 911.

Responses to this review

Of course a BMW 330 and a Porsche do compare pretty much directly to a Toyota Yaris... Steve from Warwickshire

Toyota Yaris D4D MMT 2006

Overall not a bad little car, very good ride for it’s size. The MMT gearbox takes a little getting used to but so far has performed well. Not as economical as Toyota would have you believe but that’s true of most cars. I have suffered a few niggles, failed alternator at 31k, seat handle broken, have just had 3rd windscreen put in... Is that bad luck or are they getting thinner? Air con appears to need regassing after 2 years. So overall, recommended.

Toyota Yaris 5 door 2009

I too purchased one of these abominations. I previously had the Yaris T Spirit which was really a great little car, large car feel and motored well, very easy to park, handling was good, the automatic unit compared to normal automatics of 5 years ago was slightly unpredictable... However no real complaints, so I upgraded to the latest Yaris... Big Mistake, far and away worst move I have made in my motoring life of 40 years, the auto and preselect gearbox for this new Yaris are appalling in every conceivable way. Before you consider buying it... drive it for at least 15 minutes. I am off to exchange it tomorrow on its 7th day with me... to hell with the cost, my nerves are more important.

Responses to this review

I totally agree with everyone who has had a problem with their Toyota Yaris. I bought a Toyota Yaris SR 2009 in May 2009 and by July 2009 I have had nothing but problems. It has constantly broken down, been repaired 4 times by the Toyota dealer and they can’t find the problem. New this and that has been fitted but still the problem is there. I say to anybody - go and purchase a car that can be reliable - Maureen Clarke from London

I am also hating the MMT 2009 Yaris. I bought it on the scrappage scheme, trading it in for my beloved ten year old automatic Corolla, which still drove like a dream. I am rueing the day I did this. Definitely the worst car I have ever bought, and the first time I have bought a new one - I thought it would see me through several years, but I am not sure I can handle it much longer. The constant lurching at low speeds as it changes gear at the most bizarre and inappropriate moments really does make me nauseous. And does anyone else find the braking unpredictable. Sometimes too sharp, sometimes nothing there. How did the exchange for a new car go? Did they make any concessions for your dissatisfaction? I am considering doing the same - Maggy Sasanow from Oxfordshire

Toyota Yaris 2009

What a load of old c**p that guy is talking! I have driven a Yaris for the past ten years and have had no problems at all. I found them excellent, in fact a very reliable little car. I am about to purchase another and I certainly wouldn’t drive anything else. I’ve had French cars previously which were a load of tinny rubbish.

Responses to this review

I didn’t know that the Yaris had been out for for ten years? Peter Kenrick from Yorkshire

Toyota Yaris SR 1.3 2008

Had this car a year, nothing good to say about it at all, OK... you can get out of it! How anyone in their right mind can say it is a good car astonishes me. Over rated by people who do not know what a good car is like to drive. Gearbox, clutch, brakes all dreadful beyond words, and that is just the start. The only thing it has not yet done is break down but it feels like it will do soon. If you have any sense DO NOT BUY! Go for a Ford, Vauxhall, VW, Mazda, Renault, Honda... FORGET TOYOTA if you know what is good for you!

Toyota Yaris 2008

I bought my Yaris in september 2008 and am really pleased with it - or was! An annoying squeak which has driven me mad since purchase and which when I asked about it turns out to be a fault that cannot be remedied! It appears to be something to do with the air con and appears at 3000 revs (about 40 miles an hour). This means that it is there most of the time ! Given that Toyota knew about it why did they not tell me! recall would have been a good idea.The excuse was that only some models have this! anyone else noticed this?

Toyota Yaris 1.3 Petrol 5-speed Manual 2008

I bought a 1.3 petrol Yaris about 1 year ago. 5-speed manual. We have done about 11000 miles in it so far in Christchurch, New Zealand (similar conditions to England). No problems at all with the car, except for a bit of free play on the clutch pedal (not worth fixing). The clutch doesn’t judder and no problems with the gearbox, easy to engage all gears. Toyota dealer in Christchurch has been very good, although I haven’t needed them to actually fix anything. We use the car for round-town family transport for a family of 4, although we live about 3 miles out of town so it gets driven at 65mph each time we go out. For the size of car there is a lot of space, especially in the back with the rear seats back. This is how we leave the car all the time. Boot space is very small but will fit the kids school bags or some groceries. This model is only sold with 1.3 or 1.5 petrol engine in New Zealand (with limited run of the 1.8 sports model). The 1.3 petrol is OK, with powerband between 3000 and 6,000 rpm. It’s actually OK for overtaking on open road as long as you shift down to 3rd and keep the revs up. Below 3000rpm there isn’t much torque but the engine is smooth and OK for driving quietly around town below 3000 rpm. Despite some earlier comments here, handling is relatively good compared to other small cars and ride is quite good, overall a good compromise IMO. A sports car it ain’t, but if you want a shopping trolley or economic small family car that still has some room, I’ve found it to be quite good.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 SR 2009

A classic example of cynical manipulation of the tax system. Create a car that can return less than 120g on the formal test cycle but which has virtually no usable power in normal use. So it has to be drive incredibly hard and delivers none of the advertised savings in the real world. There is simply no power at all below 3000 rpm. The 1.33 engine is fairly quiet at tickover but raucous in normal use. Also not that economical, returning about 35 mpg, and in that respect no advance over the earlier 1.3 Gearchange now much improved over earlier models and now merely poor. The crazy boot arrangement has been changed by removing the false floor so now the floor area has a large lip in it! Other Yaris traits remain, poor build quality and rattling trim, scattered unlit controls, still no heated mirrors. Spec is now even lower than before. Very easy to get 20% plus discounts and even at that price this is not a good buy.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

Dreadful in almost every respect. Has a fair degree of space but can’t be regarded as a true four seater as the boot is so poor. Bodywork OK but inconsistent shut lines and paint below average. Ridiculous ride and handling compromise, it has taken real skill to build something that handles so badly and yet rides so poorly too. Extremely poor seats with little adjustment. Noisy and unrefined engine delivers very little in the way of performance and yet is thirsty. Really poor gear change and snatchy clutch. Not particularly reliable and dealers rarely deliver a first time fix or anything notable in the way of service. Would not recommend.

Toyota Yaris 2008

I’ve replaced my ’54 reg. Yaris diesel manual with an ’09 reg. Yaris diesel MMT (auto with 6 gears). I’m very pleased with the vehicle and gearbox. I read the reports here and so was unsure whether the MMT was a good idea. However, it works well with the diesel engine. The gearbox can still be used as a manual and I find this necessary for overtaking. Otherwise the auto mode makes life very easy.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

Shocking little car, a triumph of hype over ability. Badly thought out and badly designed, noisy engine needs to be thrashed to keep up with traffic and then burns enormous amounts of fuel and oil. Badly designed interior and acres of cheap plastic lead to creaks and rattles from new. Poor load space, sliding rear seat means minuscule boot and some rear leg room or no leg room and small boot! Gearbox poor, snatchy clutch now so commonplace it is regarded by Toyota dealers as a feature. And a great urban myth is that Toyota dealers care in any way for customers. They don’t - in any way whatsoever! Avoid - there are many many better small cars and almost all cost less.

Toyota Yaris Yaris TR 1.3 2008

Bought car with 2800 miles and wondered why a private owner would sell so quickly. Perhaps the gearbox. This one has all the clutch / gearbox faults already mentioned PLUS it touches another gear when entering fifth gear. If rolling back on a slight incline in first the gear locks & the only way to release it is to drive forwards a little.Toyota dealer in Aberdeen has replaced clutch & gearbox parts & after contacting Toyota they have agreed there is a problem which they are working on. A good car spoiled. I hope they do something soon.

Responses to this review

After umpteen visits to Aberdeen agents, who have been very good, they on my persistance have checked out the clutch settings e.g. grip points etc., and the car is now better but still graunchy on selecting 1st and still jamming in first and reverse if you let the car’s weight roll it still in gear with the clutch fully depressed. I have not heard of anyone else with this problem? - Jack Blease from Aberdeenshire

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

As I said in my earlier post we would try and get another SR when the facelift model came out, however now having seen one, they don’t have the 16" wheels and don’t look as good so we went for the slightly cheaper TR model to replace our older colour collection. Jim Walton in Penrith had a ex demo that had been in his showroom since January that had very low mileage and looked like brand new. We got a very good trade in price so a deal was quickly made, a roof spoiler fitted and we now have the SR and TR in our lane. So far it seems fine, as good as the SR in every respect except for the gear change. It feels like it stirring porridge and nearly always crunches going from first to second. maybe its newness and needs time to settle in. Maybe its the way we both drive it, seems odd when the SR doesn’t do it, however another great little car and if the problem persists then I’m sure Jim Walton will soon sort it out for us. Just for the record we only lost £3000 on the older car that we part-exchanged in - in over three and a half years. They really do hold their value well.

Responses to this review

Just a quick update to our first report on our Yaris TR and its gearbox problems (20/4/2009). I got back in touch with our dealer (Jim Walton in Penrith) shortly after we had taken delivery and told them of the problems we were having - ie, crunching from 1st to 2nd. James in the service department told me he had not heard of any such problems but would look into it and let me know but for now just put up with it until he could sort out a solution. A few months went by and then one morning he rang to say that Toyota had sorted the problem and that it would be fixed. After a three hour visit and new gear selector shafts all is well. I don’t think there is a general recall but just go and see your dealer. No problem at all now - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Further to my earlier reports on 16/01/2009 and 20/04/2009, both cars have been recalled for the accelerator fix although we have had no problem at all. Both cars were booked into Jim Walton in Penrith, the work took about an hour and included full safety checks, valet and washed off. They even topped up the engine oil in my SR. Both were ready and gleaming when we called back for them. Top marks to Toyota for the prompt action and to Jim Walton and staff - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Toyota Yaris 2008

Absolutely love the car, except for the gear box. I am having difficulty with 3rd and 4th gears. The problem is intermittent and tends to happen when the car has warmed up. Sometimes I can’t get it in 3rd gear and have to quickly put it into 2nd and 4th gear is very notchy and you think it’s in 4th but there’s one notch to go. I have only done 1000 miles so far. I thought it was my driving that was the problem until I started to research and found all the other complaints. I have taken it back to the dealers twice and each time they have said that they cannot find anything wrong. I am so disappointed and it has totally taken the enjoyment out of having a new car away. I prefer to drive my son’s X reg Clio and now wish that I’d spent £1000 on a car instead of £10,000!

Toyota Yaris 2009

Traded down from a Corolla to the Yaris and not disappointed. I expected this to be a "tinnier" car than the Corolla but pleasantly surprised. Still a nice roomy car and adequate for the annual mileage I cover. Excellent mpg even with only 1500 miles on clock. The gears were initially awkward to engage (2nd & 3rd) but even this seems to be easing now - perhaps the warmer weather helps (I took delivery in January). A good little car.

Toyota Yaris .5 gas 5 door LE

OK...I don’t live in Wales but I have family there... I’m from Winnipeg Canada... it gets colder than hell here (-40c for weeks on end) and my new Yaris has been flawless. My only complaint is the tires it came with are nearly useless in the snow. It is March 29th and we had about 30 cm in the past couple of weeks so I have had to leave the Yaris in the garage. Once the snow is packed (or melted) it’s OK though. I average 38 mpg imperial (city) and 45 imperial mpg (highway). I have the automatic transmission. We use it for running to and from the cottage (250 km east) every weekend when we can get away.

Toyota Yaris 1.4 SR Petrol 2008

I absolutely despair! Having had to upgrade from my awful brand new Aygo for many reasons and because I was on a finance deal, I can honestly say how completely disappointed I am with my Yaris SR. From new the gears have been difficult, 1st and reverse mainly. I get water running down the inside of the windscreen in cold weather. The engine is not that quiet and doesn’t start very well, though so far it has always started. The handling in the recent snowy weather was terrible and I found it difficult to get grip on even a slight incline. The brakes have been making a roaring noise just like normal car brakes make when rust builds up on the discs but the dealer says this is normal!!! The car was in my main dealers for a week while they tried to diagnose all the problems. They changed the clutch which is no better, the gearbox now crunches every time I go into 2nd gear in the morning despite the dealer changing the oil to a thinner special oil. They did fix the engine squeak by replacing the belts... it has only done 3500 miles! If I could sell the car or get my money back I would. I just cannot understand how Toyota has every got its reputation for good cars. I want my Renault Clio 1.6 back, at least if worked and when parts were replaced, it still worked! And it never broke down or failed to start. There are many other faults with the Yaris but there is simply not enough room here to list them. The dealer has tried hard but Toyota have failed even harder. I will never buy another Toyota and can’t believe the people who love them... doesn’t make sense. Sorry, but having had 2 Toyota’s in less than 4 months, I give up hope. If I could give it NO stars I would but this site doesn’t allow such a low rating.

Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 2009

Just bought a 2009 Yaris with the new 1.33 petrol engine and 6 speed gearbox. Incredibly quiet engine, has new ECO drive facility that allows for the engine to shut off when idling at traffic lights or in stationary traffic. Increadible that Toyota have made a car that has 100bhp engine and yet still comes in at 120 g/km CO2 so is taxed at £35. In general I am really impressed with the car. Very comfortable, I am just over 6ft and so small cars can be a bit cramped. Really good driving position and front visibility is on a par with that of my Mazda 5 (MPV). Great basic spec, including a/c and handy AUX IN for MP3 player. Steering mounted controls and also the funky heads up central digital dash display that is a feature of the Yaris (and Prius). I am very pleased with the car. The discounts available make it very competitively priced too.

Toyota Yaris 1.8 SR 2008

Good fast small car, no problems yet.

Toyota Yaris SR 1.4D 3dr 2008

This is the second Yaris in our household, the other being a 2005 1.3 colour collection. This one has been totally fault free in the four years we have had it. The SR 1.4D had a paint defect on it when we collected it brand new in October 2008 from Jim Walton’s in Penrith that we didn’t notice until the following day but it was quickly put right by having the front wing resprayed. Not the best of starts after a twelve week wait. However, it is a brilliant little car that is a very good all-rounder, fairly nippy and very good on fuel. Don’t believe the computer but check your mileage each time you fill up, ours is doing around 68 mpg on decent A roads. Also use decent diesel, not the supermarket rubbish, its makes the engine far quieter and smoother. The only real complaint we have is the way the boot is set up, throw out the false floor and secret compartments, wrap your wheel brace in a towel and stow it with the spare wheel and you have a boot you can use. With regard to the sat nav problems others have experienced all I can say is ours has been fine, CD player, radio and mobile phone are all good. To finish, we like the car so much that we tried to exchange our older one for another but all the SR’s have now gone or so our dealer tells me. Perhaps when the facelift model comes out next month we will try again, £35 road tax £120 insurance and 68 mpg. GO AND GET ONE!!

Responses to this review

Our SR 1.4D is now just over a year old and has been problem free the whole time. Still gleams like new after a good wash and is a delight to be in. Even the sat-nav system has worked well. The ride is a little on the firm side compared with the TR we have so Liz always grabs that so I’m left with the SR to play with. Still £35 to tax and over 60 to the gallon, carries my bike, dog and two sets of golf clubs when needed. A superb good looking all rounder. Service from Jim Walton of Penrith still exellent as always - David Chorlton from Cumberland

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2007

Oh dear, what a truly awful small car. I have returned to at least three Toyota dealers over the last year and a half. The first a nationwide multi-franchise dealer who claimed they could find no fault, bizarrely they then agreed the juddering clutch was a problem and presumably fitted a new clutch which is when the nightmare began. From that moment I had difficulty engaging reverse 2nd to 3rd gear and back down was troublesome. Dealer said he felt car was driving just fine so took it to a dealer in Cheshire who tried a number of things and agreed that there is an underlying clutch and gearbox problem with the Yaris - some customers experience it some don’t but they said that as soon as Toyota come up with a modification they will contact me... WHAT? Sadly I had to award the Yaris at least one star but the truth is it does not deserve any. The Toyota Yaris is not a good car... The whisper is getting louder. Tip - if you are going to buy a Japanese car do yourself a big favour make sure it is made in Japan.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

I am SO disappointed with my Yaris 1.3 SR that I bought brand new in 2008. I am experiencing problems that I have never experienced with any other car in 22 years. The main issue is the gearbox, it is notchy and sometimes from a standstill I just cannot get into 1st gear or reverse and this has happened when I have just driven 50 miles or from cold. I have to pull away in 2nd. Dealer said they cannot find a problem with it. The engine is noisy and sometimes rattles like a diesel, doesn’t even start very quickly and sounds harsh and rattly when it fires up. The electric door mirrors do not heat up, the windows do not even clear of damp when you wind them down! The built in Tom Tom Sat Nav sometimes crashes, the boot is difficult to close, there is a creaking from the dashboard, the clutch clicks when you push it right down and you have to push it right down to change gear! and to start the engine. The rear seat headrests keep falling down, the glove box can be difficult to close and the dashboard plastics are appalling, the handling of the car in the wet is dangerous, the steering wheel controls for the radio are awkward to use and there is no mute apart from on the radio itself, the radio is difficult to tune in and even sometimes forgets the channels programmed in to it. The economy for a 1.3 is not good at about 40mpg, the fuel tank is ridiculously small for the size of car. The heater takes ages to warm up, the steering wheel cannot be adjusted high enough, despite the fact I have the seat lowered. I wish I had never bought the car, I never had ANY of these problems with my 1999 Renault Clio 1.6 in 9 years and it NEVER broke down. All I can think is that either the supposedly good reputation of Toyota Yaris is because the majority of people that buy it don’t use it much or don’t realise how much better other cars are to drive. I wish I could get all my money back and buy another Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, VW. As soon as I can I will be selling the Yaris and never buying another Toyota. What a load of absolute rubbish!

Toyota Yaris 1.0 Manual 2007

Great car, no problems at all. Got a Corolla Verso manual as well, ditto. I’ve just read and contributed to the reviews for that and I notice the same remarks damning the MMT automatics. Looks like Toyota MMT auto gearboxes are the problem not the models themselves. Again I’d definitely get another.

Toyota Yaris 2001

I love my Yaris! It has never failed me once, and although it is a 2001 model, still looks good today. What a car!

Toyota Yaris TR 2008

An appalling gear box - a disgrace to the Toyota marque. Gears are unreasonably stiff and hard to get - especially second and third. I end up going around corners in neutral as I cannot get into second gear. (Illegal?). It is much worse when the engine is cold. The whole box is very notchy. Local garage is trying to be very helpful and have not argued - they have changed the clutch and put in thinner grade oil - if anything second gear is now even worse. The garage says Toyota KNOW they have a problem (? new cables don’t work re the latest gear box) and are "working to solve the fault" - but it could take up to a year!! My car is now tagged for recall. In two months I have now developed what looks like arthritis in my left shoulder from ramming gears in over the last two months! As a pensioner I cannot afford to throw money at this. I am hugely disappointed and Toyota MUST come up with a solution. There must be scores out there in trouble with new Yaris gear boxes. I wish I’d never bought the car. Car magazines are going to pick this up and damn the Yaris - at a time when sales are falling of all new cars. Not very clever if Toyota do not get a move on and SOLVE this gear box problem - they will lose sales nationwide as knowledge of this spreads. They cannot afford this mess up. They must solve it and RECALL all 2008 models of the Yaris.

Toyota Yaris 1.0vvti 3dr 2007

Toyota Yaris... Well, I bought a 2007 1.0vvt to replace my Mazda Demio and what a great car this is... I’m always amazed just how large the inside of this car is, the sliding back seat is fantastic and all small cars should have this feature, it always returns 50+mpg and looks great in silver... I have now covered 20000 miles and still looks like new and drives the same... Such a good car, I will replace it next year with a new one of the same... Toyota quality shines through!

Toyota Yaris SR 2008

Another Yaris gearbox fiasco. Having purchased a new SR in June 08, it has been plagued with problems changing into 2nd and 3rd gears when cold; almost as if the synco’s don’t exist. The dealer has changed the oil to a different type - no difference, rebuilt the gearbox and tried another different oil; a little better, but in their terms still buggered! The problem is now with Toyota customer care, who seem indifferent, but have admitted there is a problem. If you’ve got a similar issue call them and log a complaint.

Toyota Yaris 2008

I love the car except for the faulty gear box. The multi-mode gear box is certainly faulty and gets stuck on the transmission. It also jots at gear changes in particular at the lower gears levels. I have reported this to the service department, and they say the jolts are not a fault however the fact that they are gears are not getting stuck, is a fault and I am due to have it checked out. This is a brand new car and I feel very cheated and unhappy that this critical issue has taken away the joy of getting a new car. I am not sure what the outcome of the repairs will be, but I will always be left with ill feelings about this.

Responses to this review

I bought a Toyota Yaris 133 vvt and it lurches foward at every gear change - they said all the gearboxes do that, they advised me to try the deisel run car it was a little less pronounced but they want me to pay £2000+ extra. I insisted on my money back but the said they tested the car on the computer and there is no fault. Trading standards said I have rights of refund but another adviser told me that I have the option of taking them to court. The garage said they will take the car back but I will have to pay £1400 plus VAT and on top of that lose my car that I part exchanged - my Vauxhall Omega for which they gave me a measly £1000. The sales manager refused to put anything in writing, she also changes her offer and tries to talk over us - we feel like we are fobbed off - they are trying to break us down. Please advise - Cherryl Howard from Bedfordshire 18/09/2009

Toyota Yaris T Spirit D4D 2007

This is as much about the garage as the car. I’ve had 4 Yaris models (2 of the old type, petrol) and more recently 2 of the new D4D diesel models; I have changed cars every 18 months or so, for tax reasons more than anything else. The Yaris is comfortable, economical and easy to get in and out of, having a high roof line. Some people have criticised the new diesel models as having a juddering clutch - and this is true at times. But hey - no car is perfect and one can forgive minor problems if there’s a good local garage (WKB Waterlooville) to sort them out. Low tax of £35 per year, combined with 65mpg make this car a winner. I love the push-button keyless start system on my current T-Spirit. In the previous T3 model you had to put a key in, and the noisiest part of driving was the key jangling! I’d have another Yaris tomorrow if I could afford to replace it right now, but - being semi-retired - I might just get the new Toyota iQ. How they manage to get 4 seats in it escapes me...

Toyota Yaris SR 2008

I purchased a Yaris SR in July 2008 from the local Toyota dealership. Sadly, major gearbox problems; getting into 1st and 2nd gears. The dealer road tested and said it was a faulty gearbox, the technician stripped the gearbox down and repaired the fault. I road tested the car and the problem was still there. Toyota technician road tested the car and said they found no problem. I even got a second opinion from an independent technician and he said the gearbox was faulty - the dealership said they would change the gearbox - they also said they would swapped the gearbox from a another vehicle. I am very disappointed and wish that I had never purchased this car.

Toyota Yaris MMT 2006

We have owned this car for 23 months and bought on a PCP as a town run around for my wife. The stupid semi auto gearbox is a big let down, always in the wrong gear. When you pull away on a slighly wet surface or even dry come to that, it wheel spins, a no no for hilly areas. As you go around a roundabout it changes up so you end up in third or fourth by the time you exit, as for the roll back it’s a good job we both learnt in a manual because you have to still carry out hill starts on the slightest gradiant. When we complained about it to our local dealer he just told us that we were driving it to aggessively and to use the manual mode. I thought I was buying an auto not a manual. The brakes are also very sharp the slightest dab and you’re on the windscreen. A new front tyre had to be bought last week as it was worn out in 6500 miles. We feel lumbered with a car we both hate on Toyota PCP contract that will end up costing money to get out of, hence we still have the heap of rubbish.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 t3 mmt 2006

We have had car 28months , and done 15,000 miles. Gearbox is only any good if you learn to use the manual mode. I have found when setting of from cold there is a tendency for a little clutch judder but disappears when warm. The smoothest way to drive car is to start off on the automatic mode and use this for the change to 2nd, then push gear lever onto manual mode for all other gears. When changing gear on manual mode always ease off on throttle as you change and changers are then very quick and smooth. In traffic up to 10 miles per hour very tricky to keep it smooth, it would be far better if change into second was at 5 to 6 miles per hour not 10 to 11. Petrol consumption is averaging 53 to gallon, but we do go 5 miles before hitting traffic into Harrogate. Engine is quite powerful, but on motorways speeds over 60 soon hit petrol consumption and this will drop down to 45. Height adjustment on the drivers seat is good but legroom is very restricted for tall drivers, therefore tall driver has to lower the height adjustment so that seat moves away from wheel, which defeats object of height adjustment for taller drivers who like an upright driving position, as even on highest setting the headroom is good. Plenty of room in car and rear seat arrangement is clever. Local Toyota dealer in Knaresborough is good, servicing reasonable particularly if you take out service plan. Extended warranty available after 3 years and this is reasonable cost and probably worth taking out as mmt is suspect. Insurance is group 4 and costs 160 pounds on full ncb with LV. All in all not a bad car, but not a patch on my Mitsubishi 1.8 Spacestar, which has a 100,000 miles on it, and still averages 49 mpg for a petrol engine. It’s just unfortunate that these have gone out of production.

Toyota Yaris 2006

I love my little Yaris- it has been brilliant. My daughter loves it too and my mother-in-law bought one after she drove mine, but she got the automatic. A brilliant, funky little car. Silver ones are the best!!!!!

Toyota Yaris 2005

I have had endless problems with my Toyota Yaris 1.0 gearbox clutch. In and out of the dealership claiming nothing was wrong - it was me and the way I drove it!!! Field Service Engineer told me that no other Yaris was like mine and they were not prepared to do any more for me. DREADFUL - I even got a second opinion from an independent person and the inability of the car to get into first, second and reverse gear happened to him - still TOYOTA would not listen - I have now bought a Ford Fiesta - I cannot believe the difference.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 T3 MMT 2007

As a driving instructor I find the Yaris MMT a good automatic car to teach in. It’s comfortable, with plenty of space and visibility is very good. In Easy mode the car is quick through the gears and possibly ’greener’ than the manual version. It has manual mode to give control over gears on hills or poor weather and has kickdown to drop gears in easy mode. There is no creep function but that’s why there’s a gas pedal and handbrake. I like it.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 2005

Terrible car - bought on the recommendation of BBC’s Top Gear. Loads has gone wrong.

Toyota Yaris 2000

I bought a two year old Yaris from a dealer, I thought after two month I could hear a noise coming from the passenger side of the car which i thought was a wheel bearing, I went back to the garage but as usual they could hear nothing, This noise started to get worse so I got a second opinion, I was told the noise was either coming from the wheel bearing or it could be the gear box, I went back to the dealer once more, they went for a test drive on there return I was told it was possibly the gear box. Luckily enough I had the most of a year left on the warranty so i got a new gear box fitted, I was told after that this was quite common in the Yaris, lucky for me I still had that warranty.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 SR 2008

I purchased a Yaris SR in January from a local Toyota wholly-owned dealership. Sadly, I had major clutch judder problems, the dealer was basically not interested - response... "we are not aware of any clutch judder problems with the Yaris" - which of course was not quite true why else would Toyota develop a modified clutch? Whilst waiting for my vehicle to be tested I spoke to another customer who owned a Yaris and who insisted not to be fobbed off, he had an older Yaris and also had major issues with clutch judder. Eventually problem worsened and despite the dealer telling me that the car was tested by 4 technicians who could not find a fault I insisted and went out with a technician who agreed a problem did actually exist. Since the clutch has been replaced I now have problems engaging reverse, 1st, 2nd & 3rd gears and also have problems coming down box. Dealer once again assured me that no gearbox problems could be identified and any notchyness or imprecision would ease with use? Sadly, a month on and no improvement. Car has been returned four/five times now and recently the dealership hinted that, yes, the gearbox did not perform as per manufacturer’s specifications, in short, much crunching and grinding was experienced. I received a phone call to inform me that gearbox had been replaced. However, I still continued to have problems with reverse 1st, 2nd & 3rd gear then the bombshell! The gearbox fitted was not brand new from the factory when vehicle was returned they said that they had driven both cars. The "donor car", a used registered forecourt vehicle which the gearbox was swapped from and my vehicle drove better?? and assured me any residual problems would ease with use. Appreciate anyones help/advice.

Toyota Yaris MMT 2008

I have previously owned two automatic Toyota Yaris’ and adored them. Just bought a new one which has the MMT - it is possibly the worst car I have ever driven. It is like driving with a kangaroo in the engine, jumpy, erratic and just downright awful. Also has the most horrific roll back, even on a slight incline. On calling my dealer to complain (I have had it 3 weeks) I got the distinct impression he wasn’t surprised to hear from me. The battle shall now commence for me to return it. Seriously, do not touch the MMT model if you are looking for an automatic car.

Toyota Yaris 1.3TR 2008

Truly awful, badly built, cheap materials and downright nasty to drive. Noisy at just about any speed, ponderous handling and nausea-inducing ride. Interior seems reasonable in the showroom but in reality is very badly thought out. Garish dashboard out of normal sight lines. Boot poor, even with sliding seats, huge gap in floor with seats slid forward is crazy. Poorly presented on delivery, numerous items missing or inoperative. Total inability and disinterest of uncaring dealers in resolving any issues. They've got your money so why other offering any help? Toyota sent me vouchers worth £100 for each friend or relative I recommended to them. I can't think of anyone I dislike that much.

Toyota Yaris 1.3 WT-i T3 5dr 2008

I’ve just bought a brand spanking new Yaris and I LOVE IT!! This is the first time I’ve bought new and I just fell for the Yaris as soon as I saw it. It’s a funky looking car with a very spacious and comfortable interior and it’s just so much fun to drive. Brilliantly affordable car that’s cheap to run and looks gorgous. 5 out of 5!!

Toyota Yaris Zinc

The Yaris Zinc MMT is fine as long as you can avoid hills, otherwise the car in front is a tractor. It attempts to climb the hill in fifth gear with traffic building up behind you, going slower and slower until at about 23 mph it changes into fourth but then the battle is lost. It`s speed is down to 15 m.p.h and you have to pull over to let to let other vechicles past. So, if you see a Yaris struggling up a bank it is in M.M T. mode so try not to shake your fist and blast your horn.

Toyota Yaris 1.0 litre VVTI

I love my Yaris! A car driven mainly by old people and girls, not really for boy racers!!! Never had a problem with it, except wishing sometimes it had 6 gears! (Takes a while to stop roaring on the Motorway!) Would definitley have another Yaris in the future!

Toyota Yaris Zinc MMT

I sadly sold my Yaris Colour Collection MK 1 and bought a Yaris Zinc MMT gearbox model. What a mistake! When driving round the local areas I dread hills as it always tries to get into to high a gear and then drops to 1st and ends up screaming like a boy racer before jumping to second then when its over the hill it refuses to change into 3rd etc, until either I change it manually or the speed is over 45Mph! Don’t touch a MMT geared car they are rubbish. Babbs.

Toyota Yaris 1.4D-4D SR 5 dr

This is a really good solid car. Never had a single hitch and very economical to run. Excellent car.